Climate, Energy & Sustainability

Meeting the Challenges: Featured Faculty Discussions - Friday, August 22 and Saturday, August 23, 2008

Friday, August 22

Featured Sessions - Meeting the Global Energy and Climate Challenge

"Climate 101: Learning the Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts of Climate Literacy—Training"

CIRES Auditorium, 10:00-11:00 a.m.

Mark McCaffrey, CIRES Science Communications Specialist

Developed through a peer review process with the input from climate researchers, educators and other experts, the Climate Literacy Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts covers the basics of how the climate system works, how life, including human civilization, depend on and at the same time affect climate, and how scientists understand the climate system through observation and modeling. Endorsed by many federal agencies and organizations including NOAA, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Forest Service, and the American Meteorological Society, the Climate Literacy framework provides an authoritative yet easy to understand overview of the key elements necessary to understand climate's influence on society, and society's influence on climate. This training will provide an overview of the framework followed by a more in-depth discussion of climate science and related energy and policy issues. Individuals and families interested in learning more about climate in general and the human dimension in particular. This training will be used in schools in the Boulder Valley and beyond as part of a Climate Literacy Corp.

"Making Climate Hot: Effectively Communicating Climate Change"

Old Main Chapel, 1:00–3:00 p.m. (maximum 50 participants, first-come, first-served)

Susan Buhr, Director, CIRES Outreach and Sarah Wise, CIRES Visiting Fellow

How can you talk to your friends and family about the often complex, sometimes controversial topic of climate change? This workshop will give you information and opportunities to practice communicating about climate change. The first hour will be an interactive workshop on best practices in climate change and science communications, including strategies for handling controversy. During the second hour, participants will split into facilitated breakout groups to practice communicating about climate science and decision-making in a low-risk setting.

Participants should have a basic familiarity with climate change science. Attend "Climate 101" with Mark McCaffrey for a good refresher. If you will definitely attend, please RSVP to sarah.wise@colorado.edu. Drop-ins will also be welcome.

"Social Dimensions of Climate Change"

Math 100 Auditorium, 3:30–5:30 p.m.

Panel discussion members:

• Diane McKnight (Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, CU-Boulder)
  "Water in a Changing World: Floods, Droughts and Water Quality Impacts"
• Roger A. Pielke, Jr. (Center for Science and Technology Policy Research, CU-Boulder)
  "Disasters, Climate Change, and Demographics"
• Lori M. Hunter (Sociology and Environmental Studies, Institute of Behavioral Science, CU-Boulder)
  "Potential Impacts on Rural Populations in Less Developed Settings: Migration and Food Security"
• Patricia Romero Lankao (Institute for the Study of Society and Environment, NCAR)
  "Urban Populations and Climate Change"

Moderator: Timothy Oakes (Chair, Department of Geography, CU-Boulder)

"The Challenge of Developing Carbon-free Energy: How Fast Can It Grow?"

Old Main Chapel, 3:30–5:30 p.m.

Presentations:

• Carl Koval (Director, University of Colorado Energy Initiative)
  "The Arithmetic of Carbon-free Energy"
• Charles Kutscher (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)
  "Growth of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency"

Panel discussion members:

• Dag Nummedal (Colorado School of Mines)
  "Carbon Capture/Sequestration and Nuclear Energy"
• Paul Jerde (Leeds School of Business, CU-Boulder)
  "The Roles of Entrepreneurship and Clean-Tech Investment"
• Bruce Oreck (Founder, Zero Carbon Initiative)
• Craig Mataczynski (Renewable Energy Systems, Americas)
  "Large-scale Renewable Energy Projects"

Moderator: Stein Sture (Vice Chancellor for Research and Dean of the Graduate School,
CU-Boulder)

"Climate 101: Learning the Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts of Climate Literacy—Training"

CIRES Auditorium, 3:30–4:30 p.m.

Mark McCaffrey, CIRES Science Communications Specialist (Repeat of Morning Session)

Friday, August 22

Opening Sessions - Meeting the 21st Century Social and Economic Challenges

"Mental Health in the 21st Century"

Muenzinger Auditorium, 10:00 a.m.–noon

Panel discussion members:

• Jeannie Ritter (First Lady of Colorado)
  "Mental Health Initiatives in Colorado: a Microcosm of the Country"
• Tom Insel (Director, National Institute of Mental Health)
  "Mental Health Research: The NIMH Perspective"
• David Miklowitz (Department of of Psychology, CU-Boulder)
  "Treatment of Bipolar Disorders: Figuring Out What Works"
• Marie Banich (Department of Psychology, CU-Boulder)
  "Using Cognitive Neuroscience to Understand Mental Illness"

Moderator: Lewis Harvey (Department of Psychology, CU-Boulder)

"U.S. Immigration and Trade Policy: Weighing National Priorities against Global Economic Realities"

Math 100 Auditorium, 1:00–3:00 p.m.

Panel discussion members:

• Brian Cadena (Department of Economics, CU-Boulder)
• Steve Chan (Department of Political Science, CU-Boulder)
• David Brown (Department of Political Science, CU-Boulder)

Moderator and Panelist: Keith Maskus, (College of Arts & Sciences)

"Social Security: Today and Tomorrow"

Muenzinger Auditorium, 1:00–4:00 p.m.

Presenters and panel discussion members:

• Richard D. Lamm (Co-Director of the Institute for Public Policy Studies at the University of Denver and former three-term Governor of Colorado)
• Lawrence Hunter (President, Social Security Institute and former Chief of Staff, Congressional Joint Economic Committee)
• Wendell Gunn (President, GunnSolutions)
• John McIver (Department of Political Science, CU-Boulder)

Moderator: Roger Hanson (Law School, CU-Boulder)

Saturday, August 23

Featured Sessions - Meeting the Global Energy and Climate Challenge

"Real Change: The Science Behind Global Climate Change Predictions"

Math 100 Auditorium, 10:00 a.m.–noon

Panel discussion members:

• Konrad Steffen (Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, Deptartment of Geography, CU-Boulder)
• Diana Wall (School of Global Environmental Sustainability, Colorado State University)
• Jim White (Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, Department of Geological Sciences, CU-Boulder)
• Alan Townsend (Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, CU-Boulder)

Moderator: Patty Limerick (Center of the American West, CU-Boulder)

"The Ecological Impacts of Climate Change: An on the Ground Look at our Changing World"

Benson Earth Sciences, 10:00 a.m.–noon

Presentations:

• Jeff Mitton (Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, CU-Boulder)
  "Biological Responses to Global Climate Change"
• Russ Monson (Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, CU-Boulder)
  "Ecosystem Responses to Climate Change"
• Thomas Veblen (Department of Geography, CU-Boulder)
  "Wildfire and Climate Change"

Panel discussion members:

• Susan Beatty (Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Geography, CU-Boulder)
• Bill Bowman (Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, CU-Boulder)
• Bill Travis (Department of Geography, CU-Boulder)

Moderator: Tom Veblen (Department of Geography, CU-Boulder)

"Town-Gown Leadership on Carbon Neutrality, Universities and Cities Get Climate Smart"

Benson Earth Sciences Auditorium, 1:00–3:00 p.m.

Keynote lecture: Hunter Lovins, President and Founder, Natural Capitalism Inc.

Panel discussion members:

• Bud Peterson (Chancellor, CU-Boulder)
• Frank Bruno (Vice Chancellor for Administration, CU-Boulder)
• Shaun McGrath (Mayor, City of Boulder)

Moderator: Mark Ruzzin (Director, Rocky Mountain Chapter of ICLEI)

"Communicating Energy and Climate Change Challenges: Is Anybody Listening?"

Math 100 Auditorium, 1:00–3:00 p.m.

Panel discussion members:

• Dan Glick (Freelance Writer for National Geographic, Smithsonian)
• Susan Moran (Freelance Writer for The New York Times, The Economist)
• Keith Kloor (CU-Boulder Scripps Fellow)
• Peter Dykstra (CNN)
• Len Ackland (Co-director, Center for Environmental Journalism, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, CU-Boulder)

Moderator: Tom Yulsman (Co-director, Center for Environmental Journalism, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, CU-Boulder)

"Assembling the Policy Puzzle: How to Craft a Comprehensive National Energy and Climate Strategy"

Math 100 Auditorium, 3:30–5:30 p.m.

Panel discussion members:

• The Honorable Timothy E. Wirth (President, UN Foundation and Better World Fun)
• Lakshman Guruswamy (Colorado Law School)
• Tom Wigley (National Center for Atmospheric Research)
• Lisa Dilling (Environmental Studies Program, Center for Science and Technology Policy Research/CIRES, CU-Boulder)

Moderator: Roger A. Pielke, Jr. (Center for Science and Technology Policy Research, CU-Boulder)

Keynote Address: "Climate Change: Prospects for Nature"

Math 100 Auditorium, 7:00–8:30 p.m.

INTRODUCTION: Susan Solomon (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Center for Research in Environmental Sciences, CU-Boulder)

Thomas E. Lovejoy (Director, The Heinz Center)